Rail-joint



ing just below the head, as shown.

'd vUNrrnn STATES PATENT @Erica CHARLES F. HAR'IMAN, OF 4KELLERSv CHIIRCH, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,223, dated January 22, 1824. Application filed April 2G, 1883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HARTMAN, of Kellers Church, county of Bucks, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specication.

My invention has referenceto rail-joints, but more particularly to an improvement upon Letters Patent granted to me March 27, A. D. 1883, and numbered 274., 593; and it consists in clamps of peculiar construction when arranged with a suitable chair adapted to hold the two ends of the rails and limit their longitudinal movement, one of said clamps or clampingbolts being arranged over the joint, and in many details of construction, all of which is fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form part thereof.

rIhe object of my invention is to make a simple, cheap, and strong rail-joint, adapted to take the place of the loose sh-platesl now in use. Y

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan VView of my improved rail-joint, with a small portion broken out. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same, and Fig. 3 is a cross-section of same on line m x.

A A are the ends of two adjacent rails. They rest upon a chair, B, provided on one side with the curved flangeV G, which fits up around the lower part of the rails, terminat- This iiange C Ihay be the full length of the chair B. rlhe chair B is yperforated in three or more places, G', the perforations being preferably rectangular in sectional area, and are arranged at right angles to the rails A, and are adapted to receive the peculiarly-shaped clamps or bolts D, having the threaded ends F and the curved ends E, similarly shaped to the part or flange C of the chair previously described. These curved parts C andE are somewhat varied, to suit the cross-section of the rail used; but in all cases they are approximately ofthe shape shown in Fig. 3. The clamps D .are tightened by nuts G, which, when screwed up tight, are prevented from turning by a key, II, made wedge shape, which are driven through slots f in the endsF. I do not limit myself to this particular manner of preventing unscrewing of the nuts, as a double or lock nut might be used, or any of the well-known devices n'ow in the market. One of these clamps, D, and its curved end E fit over the juncture of the two rail ends A, as shown in Fig. 1, and this is practically insured by lugs J, cast in the chair or carriage B on either side of the center, which iit the slots or notches A', nea-r the ends of the bottom flange or foot of the rails A, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the said slots and lugs preventing the rails, when laid on grades, from working out of the chairs. The chairB isprovided with flanges I, notched, as at t', for the spikes, by which it is secured to the ties, the said flanges running parallel with the rails, and also with a reenforcing band, K, of metal, cast to it belowthe middle clamping bolt, to give additional strength when the chair fis laid between the railroad-ties, or when its ends simply rest upon them. I do not claim the lugs, notches, and re-enforcements specically, for each is old in itself, and therefore limit myself to their use when combined with other features and elements, as set forth in the foregoing specification and appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as'new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is y 1. In a rail-joint, a chair upon which the adjacent ends of two rails rest, provided with a clamping-flange shaped to conform to the rail, as shown, in combination with clamps or clamping-bolts, which are held and guided by said chair, and having their ends curved, to conform also to the shape ofthe rail, the rail ends being firmly clamped between said flange and clampingbolts,l substantially as shown, and means to prevent said rail ends being drawn out of the chair, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a rail-joint, a chair upon which the adjacent ends of two rails rest, provided with a clamping-flange and retaining-lugs, in combination with the rails having slots near their ends, and clamping-bolts, the ends of said bolts andiian ge being shaped to conform to the sides of the rail, as shown, one of said clamping-bolts being arranged over the juncture of the two rail ends, substantially as and for the purpose specied. p

3. In a rail-joint, the chair B, provided with lugs J J, ilange C, extending up to the head of ICO the rail, and t `ansverse apertures G, in eo1nbination with rail ends A, havin slots A near their ends, bolts D, having` eurved ends E, and nuts G, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In arail-joint, the eliair B, provided with lugs J J, elanipingilange C, extending` up to the rail head, and fitting the side of the rail, and transverse apertures or holes C, in eoinbination with rail ends A, having' slots A near their ends, elainpingbolts D, having threaded ends F and eurved ends E, to iit the side of the rails, a nut, G, and means to loek said nutin position when the rails are clamped, substantially as and for the piirpose specified.

5. In a rail-joint, the chair B, providedwith elainping-ilange G, re-enforeing band K, lugs J J, and transverse holes C', in combination with rails A, having slots A in their bottom iianges near their ends, bolts D, having curved ends E, and means to eause the rail to be clamped between said ends E and flange C, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony of which invention I hereunto set niy hand.

CHARLES F. I'IARTMAN.

\\'itnesses:

ii. M. HUNTER, R. S. CHILD, Jr. 

